Now when all the captains of the host, [a]which were in the fields, even they and their men heard, that the king of Babel had made Gedaliah the son of Ahikam governor in the land, and that he had committed unto him men, and women, and children, and of the poor of the land, that were not carried away captive to Babel,

Then they came to Gedaliah to Mizpah, even [b]Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and Johanan, and Jonathan the sons of Kareah, and Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth, and the sons of Ephai, the Netophathite, and Jezaniah the son of Maachathi, they and their men.

And Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan (A)sware unto them, and to their men, saying, Fear not to serve the Chaldeans: dwell in the land, and serve the king of Babel, and it shall be well with you:

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 40:7 Which were scattered abroad for fear of the Chaldeans.
  2. Jeremiah 40:8 Who was of the king’s blood and after slew him, Jer. 41:2.

Gedaliah Assassinated(A)

When all the army officers and their men who were still in the open country heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam as governor(B) over the land and had put him in charge of the men, women and children who were the poorest(C) in the land and who had not been carried into exile to Babylon, they came to Gedaliah at Mizpah(D)—Ishmael(E) son of Nethaniah, Johanan(F) and Jonathan the sons of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth, the sons of Ephai the Netophathite,(G) and Jaazaniah[a] the son of the Maakathite,(H) and their men. Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, took an oath to reassure them and their men. “Do not be afraid to serve(I) the Babylonians,[b](J)” he said. “Settle down in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it will go well with you.(K)

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 40:8 Hebrew Jezaniah, a variant of Jaazaniah
  2. Jeremiah 40:9 Or Chaldeans; also in verse 10